Dennis Rodman is an unpredictable player in NBA history. Given the chance, it’s impossible to predict Rodman’s next move. While his defensive and rebounding abilities are limitless, he occasionally attempts reckless behavior that requires intervention.
This was evident in the Bulls’ overtime game against the Lakers, when Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen had to step in. In the first half of the game, Shaquille O’Neal launched a powerful attack on the Bulls’ interior defenders. However, Dennis Rodman has yet to challenge him.
So, at the beginning of the second half, Rodman turned his attention to O’Neal.
The rivalry between Dennis Rodman and Shaquille O’Neal
As the second half unfolded, Rodman became a major annoyance to O’Neal, refusing to let him dominate the paint and outrebound him. His strategy proved effective as he limited O’Neal to just four points in the second half and no points in the fourth quarter.
With Rodman’s efforts, the Lakers lost the lead and the Bulls successfully dragged the game into overtime.
Rodman held on to Shaq throughout overtime, holding him scoreless again as Chicago took the lead.With 24 seconds left in the game, Elden Campbell missed a three-pointer. Rodman grabbed the rebound in time and requested a timeout.
Tensions mounted between Shaquille O’Neal and Dennis Rodman in overtime, culminating in an almost verbal altercation. With 20.7 seconds left, Rodman held a slim 125-123 lead, getting an important rebound after a big defensive timeout. This led to a confrontation with Eldon Campbell, who fouled Rodman, causing a commotion.
O’Neal was eager to compete with Bulls power forward Rodman. Rodman, in turn, found himself restricted and eventually pushed to the ground by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.
This move by Jordan and Pippen likely saved Rodman from a technical foul and subsequent ejection from the game.
Also read: A coach who worked with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant once outlined the key differences between the two NBA legends